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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · march · chair · bay · band · season · chip · branch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — a division
  3. band — a music group
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. band — a ring
  7. march — music
  8. season — in sport
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. season — of the year
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. plane — a tool
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com